trip report: BANGKOK, GOLDEN TRIANGLE, KOH SAMUI AND BALI
Jun 26th, 2004, 07:39 PM
#41
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late this afternoon i typed a piece about the jewerly...when i came back from dinner it was gone....evidently the powers that be have deleated it...so you will just have to guess...maybe they thought that it was too commercial....frequently people ask for specific examples about purchases and i was trying to give that....the "moderator" should tell us if he/she doesn't like something and why...
i'm putting a lot into this report and i resent having things removed without an explanation!!! it degrades the board!!!
i'm putting a lot into this report and i resent having things removed without an explanation!!! it degrades the board!!!
Jun 26th, 2004, 08:00 PM
#42
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we took the skytrain back to the river.. we decided that we would make a quick stop at centre point, silom...CP is a group of serviced apartments in bkk..the one near silom is right in back of the sh-la hotel, near to the robinson's dept. store...it has river views...several fodorites have talked about it so we wanted to see what it was like...the building may be 5+ years old...the entrance is like any mid-size hotel...we told them that we wanted to see a one and a two bedroom unit...they were very friendly..the units were huge...they are quite well equipted...the furniture was nice adn comfy...they were very nice for the money---between $50-100 per day...there is a small pool...breakfast is included and the library and restaurant looked very nice, but small...mostly families of business people stay here for longer periods of time than would a tourist...
karen went to the pool and i went out to take or pick-up laundry and go to the photo shop to have my sticks downloaded to a disc---very cheap about 350B for 128X3, plus a 32...
i then returned to the pool...we met a mother and daughter in the pool from MA...had a nice chat...
we took a taxi to baan Khanitha on ruamrudee, near to the american embassy...it is in the former egyption embassy...we had our first bad restaurant experience...we had a reservation...we were put at a table way in the back in a corner...the waiters ignored us and threw the food at us...they were never around when you needed someone...it was expensive...as we left i told the manager and he followed us out to the cab and tried to get us to come back in...asked us where we were staying and bowed and stammered...so un thai, not the bowing, but the lack of service and friendliness...i was disappointed...their other restaurant on soi 23 is just the opposite...
we decided to have a dessert in the sh-la lobby near to the windows overlooking the river ...the music was soothing and the desserts were simply great...871B for one water, 2 cakes and a cappachino...
bed by 12:30....
karen went to the pool and i went out to take or pick-up laundry and go to the photo shop to have my sticks downloaded to a disc---very cheap about 350B for 128X3, plus a 32...
i then returned to the pool...we met a mother and daughter in the pool from MA...had a nice chat...
we took a taxi to baan Khanitha on ruamrudee, near to the american embassy...it is in the former egyption embassy...we had our first bad restaurant experience...we had a reservation...we were put at a table way in the back in a corner...the waiters ignored us and threw the food at us...they were never around when you needed someone...it was expensive...as we left i told the manager and he followed us out to the cab and tried to get us to come back in...asked us where we were staying and bowed and stammered...so un thai, not the bowing, but the lack of service and friendliness...i was disappointed...their other restaurant on soi 23 is just the opposite...
we decided to have a dessert in the sh-la lobby near to the windows overlooking the river ...the music was soothing and the desserts were simply great...871B for one water, 2 cakes and a cappachino...
bed by 12:30....
Jun 26th, 2004, 08:03 PM
#43
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we took the skytrain back to the river.. we decided that we would make a quick stop at centre point, silom...CP is a group of serviced apartments in bkk..the one near silom is right in back of the sh-la hotel, near to the robinson's dept. store...it has river views...several fodorites have talked about it so we wanted to see what it was like...the building may be 5+ years old...the entrance is like any mid-size hotel...we told them that we wanted to see a one and a two bedroom unit...they were very friendly..the units were huge...they are quite well equipted...the furniture was nice and comfy...they were very nice for the money---between $50-100 per day...there is a small pool...breakfast is included and the library and restaurant looked very nice, but small...there is a fitness center...mostly families of business people stay here for longer periods of time than would a tourist...
karen went to the pool and i went out to take or pick-up laundry and go to the photo shop to have my sticks downloaded to a disc---very cheap about 350B for 128X3, plus a 32...
i then returned to the pool...we met a mother and daughter in the pool from MA...had a nice chat...
we took a taxi to Baan Khanitha on ruamrudee, near to the american embassy...it is in the former egyption embassy...we had our first bad restaurant experience...we had a reservation...we were put at a table way in the back in a corner...the waiters ignored us and threw the food at us...they were never around when you needed someone...it was expensive...as we left i told the manager and he followed us out to the cab and tried to get us to come back in...asked us where we were staying and bowed and stammered...so un thai, not the bowing, but the lack of service and friendliness...i was disappointed...their other restaurant on soi 23 is just the opposite...
we decided to have a dessert in the sh-la lobby near to the windows overlooking the river ...the music was soothing and the desserts were simply great...871B for one water, 2 cakes and a cappachino...expensive
bed by 12:30....
karen went to the pool and i went out to take or pick-up laundry and go to the photo shop to have my sticks downloaded to a disc---very cheap about 350B for 128X3, plus a 32...
i then returned to the pool...we met a mother and daughter in the pool from MA...had a nice chat...
we took a taxi to Baan Khanitha on ruamrudee, near to the american embassy...it is in the former egyption embassy...we had our first bad restaurant experience...we had a reservation...we were put at a table way in the back in a corner...the waiters ignored us and threw the food at us...they were never around when you needed someone...it was expensive...as we left i told the manager and he followed us out to the cab and tried to get us to come back in...asked us where we were staying and bowed and stammered...so un thai, not the bowing, but the lack of service and friendliness...i was disappointed...their other restaurant on soi 23 is just the opposite...
we decided to have a dessert in the sh-la lobby near to the windows overlooking the river ...the music was soothing and the desserts were simply great...871B for one water, 2 cakes and a cappachino...expensive
bed by 12:30....
Jun 26th, 2004, 08:14 PM
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i must apologize...i just found the jewerly info on another posting...if you want to read it you can find it on CFW's post entitled "northern thailand"...sorry...my whole day has been this way
Jun 26th, 2004, 10:50 PM
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Is there going to be a return to an eyeglasses place? I wondered how these places work; whether they will accept prescriptions (possibly outdated or not from a doctor)... Maybe they will only copy existing lenses or make you take a quick eye exam (written prescription conventions can vary between countries).
Jun 27th, 2004, 06:34 AM
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there will not be a return to an eyeglass place...sorry...the place we went ended up being one of those high pressure chain places...we felt uncomfortable and decided to wait for our new glasses until we got home...
the savings were in the neighborhood of 30-40% however in many cases
the savings were in the neighborhood of 30-40% however in many cases
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:24 AM
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i have to do yard work this morning as nothing other than the grass has been touched in 5 weeks...it looks like a thailand jungle...
but here is some more
thursday june 3
up about 6:30...breakfast...opened a safe deposit box at the front desk as we would have to get out of the room by mid-afternoon and we were not leaving until late afternoon or early evening...
we had been granted a late check-out but only until mid-afternoon...i asked about changing options, and was informed that they set aside one male and one female room for this purpose...on floor six, rooms 604 and 605...that was very nice...normally you would have full run of the gym, but it was being renovated so the room set-up was established..
off to the wats...karen had wanted to return to wat arun and do it more properly...gpanda had also told us about the "turtle wat" which is near-by to wat arun..it is wat prayoon, near memorial bridge...see the nancy chandler map for it...
we took the chao payra express boat up the river...a nice ride...cost about 5 B each..we were to get off at #5 but missed it and got off at stop #6....this was good however because it allowed us to walk through the flower market district...have never seen so many flowers and such color---imagine 2 doz really long stem roses for 20 or 30 B--less than a dollar...when we got back near memorial bridge i decided we should have a taxi over the bridge to the wat...easily done and the driver took us right into the turtle complex...after walking around the wat and seeing the turtles who are housed in a charming pond area in the middle of a cemetary, we moved on...hailed a taxi to take us to wat arun...he did not know how to go there, although you could almost see its towers not far off...he asked two different people and finally a security guard at the turtle wat instructed him on how to go.. he dropped us right by one of the back entrances to wat arun (temple of dawn)...this is a magnificent setting, right on the river, and a particular favorite of both tourists and locals...
there are many spires or chedi in this complex but the main one is really special...the exterior of the spires are all peices of broken pottery, plus morrors...it gives a really lovely texture and color to the place...constant repair is ongoing...we enjoyed our stay here...this was one of the few real sight-seeing things that we did in bkk this trip...we have done most of them at least once in prior trips...
we took a taxi back to the hotel --70B...it took us along a section of the far side of the river where we had never ridden before and we went across the bridge by the peninsula hotel...
we took showers and checked out of the sh-la...owed only pennies, thanks to priceline....put our luggage in 3 groups with the doorman: one for the trip to bali, one for changing before we left for the airport and one to be stored for a week until we return from bali...they were very co-operative about all of this...tips help...
we took a taxi to another centre point complex over near the american embassy to check it out, but what i really wanted to do was check out the marriott mayfair serviced apartments in the same area...turns out they were across the street from each other...both are on laung suan rd...CP was nicer than the one at silom and newer...don't really take short term people, so it is not good for an hotel alternative...very nice apartments however with all the amenities you might want..
the marriott was fabulous however...its roof top pool area is lovely and the pool is 75' long...it is partially covered and on the 24th floor or up in that neighborhood...you had a magnificent view all over the city from up there....the place is 2 years old...its available for a good price for both short and long term--min 2 days i think...the apartments are huge and very lux for rental properties...full kitchens, laundry facilities in the kitchen, 1,2, and 3 bedroom units...you look right down into the american embassy grounds on one side of the building...
from there we took a taxi to crepes and co restaurant on soi 12, sukhumvit rd...this is one of our favorites in bkk, especially for lunch, although they are open for 3 meals per day and into the evening as well...it is right next door to the infamous cabbages and condoms restaurant...it is swiss owned and very relaxed...crepes of all sorts is the fare...i chose the 3 cheese crepe and karen had the casablanca (chicken, tomatoe, onion, honey, nuts, & cilantro)..both were delicious and filling...for dessert we sharred a lemon curd crepe with choc. ice cream on the side...delicious all...612B, incl. the tip which was added in...$15.50...
from there we made a stop at thai stone jewerly again to further discuss jewerly situations...karen took the skytrain back to the hotel to lay around the pool and i went to my favorite internet spot on soi 4, sukhumvit...200B for 56 min....
i took the skytrain to the hotel..went down to the pool and karen was not there and neither was anyone else...seems that 10 minutes after k got to the pool they announced that it would be closing in 10 minutes...they had to set up for a large dinner function around the pool...we had known that there was an international tuna fish convention going on at the hotel and that it was very busy...this was their function...very elaborate and maybe 500+ people....white table cloths, china and crystal everywhere..
i found her sitting impatiently in the lobby waiting for me...
she was all set to go but i had to shower, so i went to the sharred room on 6...not fabulous, but adequate..there were clean towels and i could shower...they could have keep the place a little cleaner and more picked-up but it was free and a convenience...
that done we collected our stuff and took a taxi to rama gardens hotel out by the airport...we were to spend the nite there as our 8:40AM flight to bali required us to check in 2 hours early so we thought this would be a good chance to check out the hotel for future use...taxi= 204B --$5.10 plus 70 B for tolls and a 50B tip...great trip for about 300B...
more after some yard work...
but here is some more
thursday june 3
up about 6:30...breakfast...opened a safe deposit box at the front desk as we would have to get out of the room by mid-afternoon and we were not leaving until late afternoon or early evening...
we had been granted a late check-out but only until mid-afternoon...i asked about changing options, and was informed that they set aside one male and one female room for this purpose...on floor six, rooms 604 and 605...that was very nice...normally you would have full run of the gym, but it was being renovated so the room set-up was established..
off to the wats...karen had wanted to return to wat arun and do it more properly...gpanda had also told us about the "turtle wat" which is near-by to wat arun..it is wat prayoon, near memorial bridge...see the nancy chandler map for it...
we took the chao payra express boat up the river...a nice ride...cost about 5 B each..we were to get off at #5 but missed it and got off at stop #6....this was good however because it allowed us to walk through the flower market district...have never seen so many flowers and such color---imagine 2 doz really long stem roses for 20 or 30 B--less than a dollar...when we got back near memorial bridge i decided we should have a taxi over the bridge to the wat...easily done and the driver took us right into the turtle complex...after walking around the wat and seeing the turtles who are housed in a charming pond area in the middle of a cemetary, we moved on...hailed a taxi to take us to wat arun...he did not know how to go there, although you could almost see its towers not far off...he asked two different people and finally a security guard at the turtle wat instructed him on how to go.. he dropped us right by one of the back entrances to wat arun (temple of dawn)...this is a magnificent setting, right on the river, and a particular favorite of both tourists and locals...
there are many spires or chedi in this complex but the main one is really special...the exterior of the spires are all peices of broken pottery, plus morrors...it gives a really lovely texture and color to the place...constant repair is ongoing...we enjoyed our stay here...this was one of the few real sight-seeing things that we did in bkk this trip...we have done most of them at least once in prior trips...
we took a taxi back to the hotel --70B...it took us along a section of the far side of the river where we had never ridden before and we went across the bridge by the peninsula hotel...
we took showers and checked out of the sh-la...owed only pennies, thanks to priceline....put our luggage in 3 groups with the doorman: one for the trip to bali, one for changing before we left for the airport and one to be stored for a week until we return from bali...they were very co-operative about all of this...tips help...
we took a taxi to another centre point complex over near the american embassy to check it out, but what i really wanted to do was check out the marriott mayfair serviced apartments in the same area...turns out they were across the street from each other...both are on laung suan rd...CP was nicer than the one at silom and newer...don't really take short term people, so it is not good for an hotel alternative...very nice apartments however with all the amenities you might want..
the marriott was fabulous however...its roof top pool area is lovely and the pool is 75' long...it is partially covered and on the 24th floor or up in that neighborhood...you had a magnificent view all over the city from up there....the place is 2 years old...its available for a good price for both short and long term--min 2 days i think...the apartments are huge and very lux for rental properties...full kitchens, laundry facilities in the kitchen, 1,2, and 3 bedroom units...you look right down into the american embassy grounds on one side of the building...
from there we took a taxi to crepes and co restaurant on soi 12, sukhumvit rd...this is one of our favorites in bkk, especially for lunch, although they are open for 3 meals per day and into the evening as well...it is right next door to the infamous cabbages and condoms restaurant...it is swiss owned and very relaxed...crepes of all sorts is the fare...i chose the 3 cheese crepe and karen had the casablanca (chicken, tomatoe, onion, honey, nuts, & cilantro)..both were delicious and filling...for dessert we sharred a lemon curd crepe with choc. ice cream on the side...delicious all...612B, incl. the tip which was added in...$15.50...
from there we made a stop at thai stone jewerly again to further discuss jewerly situations...karen took the skytrain back to the hotel to lay around the pool and i went to my favorite internet spot on soi 4, sukhumvit...200B for 56 min....
i took the skytrain to the hotel..went down to the pool and karen was not there and neither was anyone else...seems that 10 minutes after k got to the pool they announced that it would be closing in 10 minutes...they had to set up for a large dinner function around the pool...we had known that there was an international tuna fish convention going on at the hotel and that it was very busy...this was their function...very elaborate and maybe 500+ people....white table cloths, china and crystal everywhere..
i found her sitting impatiently in the lobby waiting for me...
she was all set to go but i had to shower, so i went to the sharred room on 6...not fabulous, but adequate..there were clean towels and i could shower...they could have keep the place a little cleaner and more picked-up but it was free and a convenience...
that done we collected our stuff and took a taxi to rama gardens hotel out by the airport...we were to spend the nite there as our 8:40AM flight to bali required us to check in 2 hours early so we thought this would be a good chance to check out the hotel for future use...taxi= 204B --$5.10 plus 70 B for tolls and a 50B tip...great trip for about 300B...
more after some yard work...
Jun 27th, 2004, 12:35 PM
#49
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we drove up to the rama gardens main entrance which is very nice looking, having come along a long driveway with shrubs and flowers...i should interject here that you can not just turn off the airport highway to get to this hotel from town....you have to go almost all the way to the airport and then backtrack...total waste of time but that is thai roads for you...
there was a bellman there...i had to ask him to take our bags...
we entered the large lobby which had a very commercial look to it...snobs...
we went to the desk and waited a few minutes...i told the woman my name and she looked in the computer...she seemed perplexed...i said do you have my reservation? i had made it over the internet directly with the hotel---$59 incl tax and service for a standard room...did not think it was necessary for an upgrade to the towers rooms at $25 more...
she finally said to us...you are in the other wing...i thought that is good as it is the newer wing and kathie had suggested it earlier to me...so over we went to the other building...much more upscale looking and modern...we went to the very small desk and did the same routine...i was not impressed....this time the woman said, "i'm sorry sir but your rooms are in the other building"...that was all i needed to hear...i said we just came from there, etc, etc...i remained calm...she called over a young man...
they asked us to sit down...we did and i let them know i was not happy...
after a couple of minutes they came to us and said the room was ready and that we had been upgraded to a room in that building....had they not done that i might have headed back to town....
after i made my reservation and decided i needed another one, i had noticed that all their rooms listed on other sites offered about the same price but always included breakfast...i stewed about this for a few days and decided to send them a message to see if it could be included...not characteristic of me, although i am pushy in person with inefficiency....
i received a message back later that day saying that i should make a reservation with the service because they did not intend to offer breakfast...i cancelled one of my nites and left the other nite as it was...go figure....
up to the room we went...elevator requires you to put your room card in a slot to activate it..security...like club rooms in other hotels...we were not on a club floor..
the room was on the back of the hotel overlooking the lovely gardens and pool area...it was on the 5th floor i think..non-smoking king...the bed was hard as a rock, but not uncomfortable...the room was large and it had a gigantic bath with seperate toilet room and shower room, plus an enormeous tub with a huge picture window over it so you could look out...the curtain over the tub was electrically controlled... the room was quite nice...there was a dressing table for karen just outside the bath and a large wardrobe...
we had been looking forward to having dinner in their italian restaurant...sorry...it closed last month...so the choice was a nice looking bufet (377B/per)--karen doesn't like bufets, except at breakfast for health reasons...or the chinese restaurant...we chose the chinese restaurant...we were the only people in this restaurant...it was very expensive so that is probably why...1092 B $27. for 2--we did not order much.. no dessert..it was good but everything about the experience was odd...our waiter in his gold lamme jacket was weird as were the 3 or 4 helpers who just hovered around and watched us eat... we were gald to be out of there...
decided to have some desert in the bar which turned out to be a kareoke bar (they are very popular in asia and thailand especially)...it was fun.. there were only 2 middle aged men in there when we arrived and they, one in particular, loved to sing...especially american love songs...he was quite good...another couple arrived and then some more men joined the original two...they drank whiskey straight...singing must have gotten interesting after a couple of hours...they did sing with passion...
bed about 10:30
there was a bellman there...i had to ask him to take our bags...
we entered the large lobby which had a very commercial look to it...snobs...
we went to the desk and waited a few minutes...i told the woman my name and she looked in the computer...she seemed perplexed...i said do you have my reservation? i had made it over the internet directly with the hotel---$59 incl tax and service for a standard room...did not think it was necessary for an upgrade to the towers rooms at $25 more...
she finally said to us...you are in the other wing...i thought that is good as it is the newer wing and kathie had suggested it earlier to me...so over we went to the other building...much more upscale looking and modern...we went to the very small desk and did the same routine...i was not impressed....this time the woman said, "i'm sorry sir but your rooms are in the other building"...that was all i needed to hear...i said we just came from there, etc, etc...i remained calm...she called over a young man...
they asked us to sit down...we did and i let them know i was not happy...
after a couple of minutes they came to us and said the room was ready and that we had been upgraded to a room in that building....had they not done that i might have headed back to town....
after i made my reservation and decided i needed another one, i had noticed that all their rooms listed on other sites offered about the same price but always included breakfast...i stewed about this for a few days and decided to send them a message to see if it could be included...not characteristic of me, although i am pushy in person with inefficiency....
i received a message back later that day saying that i should make a reservation with the service because they did not intend to offer breakfast...i cancelled one of my nites and left the other nite as it was...go figure....
up to the room we went...elevator requires you to put your room card in a slot to activate it..security...like club rooms in other hotels...we were not on a club floor..
the room was on the back of the hotel overlooking the lovely gardens and pool area...it was on the 5th floor i think..non-smoking king...the bed was hard as a rock, but not uncomfortable...the room was large and it had a gigantic bath with seperate toilet room and shower room, plus an enormeous tub with a huge picture window over it so you could look out...the curtain over the tub was electrically controlled... the room was quite nice...there was a dressing table for karen just outside the bath and a large wardrobe...
we had been looking forward to having dinner in their italian restaurant...sorry...it closed last month...so the choice was a nice looking bufet (377B/per)--karen doesn't like bufets, except at breakfast for health reasons...or the chinese restaurant...we chose the chinese restaurant...we were the only people in this restaurant...it was very expensive so that is probably why...1092 B $27. for 2--we did not order much.. no dessert..it was good but everything about the experience was odd...our waiter in his gold lamme jacket was weird as were the 3 or 4 helpers who just hovered around and watched us eat... we were gald to be out of there...
decided to have some desert in the bar which turned out to be a kareoke bar (they are very popular in asia and thailand especially)...it was fun.. there were only 2 middle aged men in there when we arrived and they, one in particular, loved to sing...especially american love songs...he was quite good...another couple arrived and then some more men joined the original two...they drank whiskey straight...singing must have gotten interesting after a couple of hours...they did sing with passion...
bed about 10:30
Jun 27th, 2004, 01:24 PM
#50
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Friday june 4
as you may remember sea tours had informed us that our 8:40 thai air flight had been changed to 9:30 AM..that was great really..gave us more time..thai air has only one flight to and from bali each day...
about a year ago i saw craig's posting about bali on this forum...it was well written and comprehensive...we had some correspondence and among other things he had given me putu's name and address and i had engaged him as our driver way back last summer....
i'm jumping ahead...for a number of years we have wanted to go to bali and to other parts of indonesia, but had always stayed away because of the political situations there...not on bali but in the country in general...now we decided to go, even after the bombing in kuta last year...we in fact had decided that after the bombing it might even be safer...
we got up about 6:15..we repacked a bit...we went to the bell captain to get a taxi...the reason to stay here was beacuse it would be easy to get to the airport for an early flight....WRONG...because of the road system, you literally have to drive about 1/3 of the way back to bangkok before you can turn around and go back to the airport...
there was a bit of a hastle with the bell captain as he had wanted us to take a limo for 300B and when i objected he wanted us to use his taxi for 150B...i said no just a meter cab...just then one was dropping off someone so we grabbed it....NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE AT RAMA GARDENS ALL AROUND..
you must allow a minimum of 30 minutes from this hotel to get to the airport---same as from the city...
meter taxi 105B and it took 25 minutes...the hotel had told us 10 minutes...
we had decided we would have mcdonalds for breakfast at the airport...wrong..only KFC and they did not have breakfast stuff...finally found a kiosk with muffins and coffee/water for $4...
easy check-in--our seats had been preassigned by sea tours...
we boarded and we were in the 2nd row of coach even though our seats were row 34 or maybe 32...the flight was very smooth and exactly on time...there was chicken or fish for lunch---at 11AM???
we had opted to get our visa upon arrival instead of from the embassy in bangkok or in washington dc....i would not do that again as everyone does it and it took 1 hour and 5 minutes in a large room which is only semi-air conditioned... it was $25 each...i used american money...i guess you could use any kind of currency because you paid at a branch bank set up for visas...
if you had your visa already you could have just gone right through...people we later spoke to all spent at least 2 hours waiting so we were lucky...watch the lines and pick good ones...
our bags were there when we got to them...the airport is quite modern...at the baggage claim there are several atm's....Craig had warned us to get money before we went through customs so i did...
CURRENTLY THE NUMBERS ARE HIGH IN INDONESIA...there are currently 9500 rp to the dollar...so you often are dealing in millions, if not tens and hundreds of thousands...a calculator helps or just drop three zeros and move the decimile one more place to the left...so 100,000 rp becomes $10...
we walked right through customs after passing in our 3 pieces of paper...we went to the taxi kiosk and told them we wanted the conrad hotel...flat fee 60,000 or $6... it was about a 20 minute ride...
we immediately noticed a change from thailand...everything looked finished and picked-up...no half finished buildings and no trash all over the place...
let me talk about hotels...
about 5 years ago we met two men at the sunday brunch in the indian restaurant at the rembrandt hotel in bkk... we got talking about bali and they asked what kinds of hotels we liked and suggested based upon what we said that the bali hyatt would fit our bill perfectly...we made note of that...
so when this trip came along i remembered that, but of course could not remember which hyatt as there are two...the grand hyatt and the bali hyatt...the bali hyatt being the older and smaller one...
we do like hyatts and do belong to their club...
i did my research and low and behold i could get a special rate at the bali hyatt of $70++... i grabed it last summer for a week...later we had to alter the dates slightly...they still had this rate as recently as last month...it was directly from the hyatt website...we were excited about this...
the bali hyatt is located in the older community of sanur on the east coast but in the south of bali...i had read that there was shopping and restaurants in this community...that all sounded like just what we like...
last winter i noticed that a new conrad hotel was to open in bali in march, 2004...i investigated it and found that they too had a $70 intro rate... about the same time we had to make a small change in our dates (move them up two days) and so this worked out just fine....we would stay 2 nites at the conrad and pick up our hyatt reservation on the day we had always planned to have it but end our stay two days earlier...
i also contacted putu a few times and he had us pencilled in for our dates...we just needed to decide what we wanted to do with him....craig helped a bit with this and later made great comments when we had a tentative itinery...
craig also informed me that they had used bali discovery tours for part of their trip...i contacted them about a number of things and also about the hyatt...they could offer us an $88 rate for the hyatt all inclusive including the breakfast which the hyatt rate did not include...so the $70++ (++ is 21% in bali) about equalled the $88 and we would get a free breakfast...i went for it..they would charge my credit card 21 days before our arrival...i had to fax a copy of the card, my passport picture page and an authorization to them which was a pain---usual asian routine however...so i cancelled the direct hyatt reservation...the room type was better with bali discovery as well..
we have dinner plans with friends tonight in boston so i must stop for now...hopefully will pick it up later
bob
as you may remember sea tours had informed us that our 8:40 thai air flight had been changed to 9:30 AM..that was great really..gave us more time..thai air has only one flight to and from bali each day...
about a year ago i saw craig's posting about bali on this forum...it was well written and comprehensive...we had some correspondence and among other things he had given me putu's name and address and i had engaged him as our driver way back last summer....
i'm jumping ahead...for a number of years we have wanted to go to bali and to other parts of indonesia, but had always stayed away because of the political situations there...not on bali but in the country in general...now we decided to go, even after the bombing in kuta last year...we in fact had decided that after the bombing it might even be safer...
we got up about 6:15..we repacked a bit...we went to the bell captain to get a taxi...the reason to stay here was beacuse it would be easy to get to the airport for an early flight....WRONG...because of the road system, you literally have to drive about 1/3 of the way back to bangkok before you can turn around and go back to the airport...
there was a bit of a hastle with the bell captain as he had wanted us to take a limo for 300B and when i objected he wanted us to use his taxi for 150B...i said no just a meter cab...just then one was dropping off someone so we grabbed it....NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE AT RAMA GARDENS ALL AROUND..
you must allow a minimum of 30 minutes from this hotel to get to the airport---same as from the city...
meter taxi 105B and it took 25 minutes...the hotel had told us 10 minutes...
we had decided we would have mcdonalds for breakfast at the airport...wrong..only KFC and they did not have breakfast stuff...finally found a kiosk with muffins and coffee/water for $4...
easy check-in--our seats had been preassigned by sea tours...
we boarded and we were in the 2nd row of coach even though our seats were row 34 or maybe 32...the flight was very smooth and exactly on time...there was chicken or fish for lunch---at 11AM???
we had opted to get our visa upon arrival instead of from the embassy in bangkok or in washington dc....i would not do that again as everyone does it and it took 1 hour and 5 minutes in a large room which is only semi-air conditioned... it was $25 each...i used american money...i guess you could use any kind of currency because you paid at a branch bank set up for visas...
if you had your visa already you could have just gone right through...people we later spoke to all spent at least 2 hours waiting so we were lucky...watch the lines and pick good ones...
our bags were there when we got to them...the airport is quite modern...at the baggage claim there are several atm's....Craig had warned us to get money before we went through customs so i did...
CURRENTLY THE NUMBERS ARE HIGH IN INDONESIA...there are currently 9500 rp to the dollar...so you often are dealing in millions, if not tens and hundreds of thousands...a calculator helps or just drop three zeros and move the decimile one more place to the left...so 100,000 rp becomes $10...
we walked right through customs after passing in our 3 pieces of paper...we went to the taxi kiosk and told them we wanted the conrad hotel...flat fee 60,000 or $6... it was about a 20 minute ride...
we immediately noticed a change from thailand...everything looked finished and picked-up...no half finished buildings and no trash all over the place...
let me talk about hotels...
about 5 years ago we met two men at the sunday brunch in the indian restaurant at the rembrandt hotel in bkk... we got talking about bali and they asked what kinds of hotels we liked and suggested based upon what we said that the bali hyatt would fit our bill perfectly...we made note of that...
so when this trip came along i remembered that, but of course could not remember which hyatt as there are two...the grand hyatt and the bali hyatt...the bali hyatt being the older and smaller one...
we do like hyatts and do belong to their club...
i did my research and low and behold i could get a special rate at the bali hyatt of $70++... i grabed it last summer for a week...later we had to alter the dates slightly...they still had this rate as recently as last month...it was directly from the hyatt website...we were excited about this...
the bali hyatt is located in the older community of sanur on the east coast but in the south of bali...i had read that there was shopping and restaurants in this community...that all sounded like just what we like...
last winter i noticed that a new conrad hotel was to open in bali in march, 2004...i investigated it and found that they too had a $70 intro rate... about the same time we had to make a small change in our dates (move them up two days) and so this worked out just fine....we would stay 2 nites at the conrad and pick up our hyatt reservation on the day we had always planned to have it but end our stay two days earlier...
i also contacted putu a few times and he had us pencilled in for our dates...we just needed to decide what we wanted to do with him....craig helped a bit with this and later made great comments when we had a tentative itinery...
craig also informed me that they had used bali discovery tours for part of their trip...i contacted them about a number of things and also about the hyatt...they could offer us an $88 rate for the hyatt all inclusive including the breakfast which the hyatt rate did not include...so the $70++ (++ is 21% in bali) about equalled the $88 and we would get a free breakfast...i went for it..they would charge my credit card 21 days before our arrival...i had to fax a copy of the card, my passport picture page and an authorization to them which was a pain---usual asian routine however...so i cancelled the direct hyatt reservation...the room type was better with bali discovery as well..
we have dinner plans with friends tonight in boston so i must stop for now...hopefully will pick it up later
bob
Jun 27th, 2004, 04:21 PM
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Bob, your experience at the Rama Gardens was very odd. I thought all their rooms came with free airport transportation. At least ours came with both breakfast and transportation. And it took us no more than 10-15 minutes to get to the airport from there. It makes me wonder if the metered taxi drove you around a bit...
Also, last time I was there, they had an excellent Thai restaurant. There was no Italian or Chinese restaurant at the time, so clearly things do change rapidly.
Also, last time I was there, they had an excellent Thai restaurant. There was no Italian or Chinese restaurant at the time, so clearly things do change rapidly.
Jun 27th, 2004, 06:02 PM
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kathie...we asked about a shuttle because i had read that there was one and they said no...several of the internet agencies quote with transportation...
i know my way around, a bit, by the airport...we came out the drive and you have to turn right...you can go along the access road or you can go right out onto the lower part of the highway (not the toll road)...i watched where he was going and he took the first u turn available...it was rush hour traffic and it was "IN" traffic most of the way...once we turned north we went much faster...that's bkk...
i know my way around, a bit, by the airport...we came out the drive and you have to turn right...you can go along the access road or you can go right out onto the lower part of the highway (not the toll road)...i watched where he was going and he took the first u turn available...it was rush hour traffic and it was "IN" traffic most of the way...once we turned north we went much faster...that's bkk...
Jun 27th, 2004, 06:22 PM
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Bob,
I am enjoying your report. Keep it coming! I noted your remark about Bali being not so "unfinished and dirty" as BKK. I must say, that in my 6 trips to BKK, this time it seems they are trying to work on some of the buildings that were abandoned when the Thai economy took a dive 5 ot 6 years ago. Things seem to be picking up here. (I'm in BKK right now, as I write) I think they still have a ways to go on trying to keep the trash at a minimum level though.
Did you feel safe in Bali? Would love to consider going there sometime in the future, but worry about political situation, as you noted.
Carol
I am enjoying your report. Keep it coming! I noted your remark about Bali being not so "unfinished and dirty" as BKK. I must say, that in my 6 trips to BKK, this time it seems they are trying to work on some of the buildings that were abandoned when the Thai economy took a dive 5 ot 6 years ago. Things seem to be picking up here. (I'm in BKK right now, as I write) I think they still have a ways to go on trying to keep the trash at a minimum level though.
Did you feel safe in Bali? Would love to consider going there sometime in the future, but worry about political situation, as you noted.
Carol
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:14 PM
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to continue
we watched as we drove south from the airport...we saw signs to nusa dua and so we knew that we did not have far to go to benoa and the conrad...we rounded a corner and there was the lovely sign...the taxi was stopped by a security gate and searched briefly...they lifted the gate and we proceeded up an incline as the entrance/lobby is really on the 2nd floor level...there is a waterfall across from security and lots of lovely plantings...
the entry area is quite small...we were met at the car and escorted to the front desk in this magnificent open air pavillion with very minimilistic features and furnishings...
we were asked for our names and then escorted to a table and chairs in the adajacent open air lounge area...we were joined in a few minutes by a very nice young woman who continue the check in process...first class operation...she left us for a few minutes and we were served a very refreshing bubbly fruit drink and given a very cold welcome towel to refresh ourselves...
we sat there for quite a while...i was getting impatient...then more time passed...it was about 3:30 so we were not early...
finally the girl returned...she apologized...the hotel has only been open one month and i think they just don't have it down pat yet..
anyways everything was all set and we would then be escorted to our room...
the door was opened for us and we stepped into the room...karen looked at me and we both said....sorry but this will not due...the room reeked of smoke...we had clearly reserved and been guaranteed a smoke free room...
so the bellman called on the phone and then left us there...he said he would be right back...after more than 15 minutes he had not returned so i went to the front desk and asked the same woman greeter what was happening...it was getting busy there...she turned me over to another woman..she asked me to take a seat, which i did unhappily...still nothing after a few more minutes, so i asked for a manager ...he came and apologized... i think he was the front office manager not an asst. mgr type...he said that they had found a room for us but that he had to check it out personally...i said can't we just go there and check it together and he said no...please wait..
we were now over an hour in the check-in process...i was mad...
he returned and said the room was ready...he was very apologetic...karen had reappeared from the first room in the meantime and the luggage had been put in the storage room...so we were then escorted to a larger room on the ground floor with direct outside access...the room was clearly an upgrade, so i was very pleased..i never yelled but i could have very easily...i had already seen one very ugly american yell at the desk while i was waiting and use the "F" word quite a few times...i did not want them to know that i too was that kind of a person....ugly american...
anyways we were now in our beautiful room...we were happy...this is a beautiful hotel and anyone would love to stay there...again i feel the check-in problems were the result of break-in- itis and the fact that they are offering fantastic break-in rates ($70)...they only opened about april 1 for paying guests...
the room--the hallways are a bit dark as they are all gray or dark stone...they are essentially all open air...there is again a real minimilistic feel...they are well lit at night...
the room is the opposite...it is nicely furnished and very comfortable...the bed was heavenly..simply the most comfortable bed i have been in in years and maybe ever...added to this they offer you an in room choice of eight different pillow types...
as you enter our room the bath is on the right and there is a wardrobe on the left..plus there is a shelf for suitcases..there was a round area rug under the bed and at the foot of it, which was over a black marble? floor..the rug was a wavy pattern..karen points out that there was a minimilistic feeling in the room as well..the bed was a light wood platform bed..there was a large flatscreen tv with a fridge and drawers under and beside it...there was a safe of course...looking from the bedroom into the bath there was a huge picture window which had a wide dark color wooden venitian blind...we kept it closed..
in the bath there were tons of new soft and thick white towels of various sizes...as you entered the bathroom on the right was a toilet room...next to it was a large shower enclosure with a glass door...at the end of the room was a large counter, mirror and sink... the sink amenities were plentiful and of very good designer quality...
the bathtub which was large took up the whole left wall...very nice indeed...
there was a desk with a chari in the main room and an upholstered chair...one wall was a glass sliding door which opened directly onto a deck with 2 chairs and a table...it was one step down to the grass ... the pool (main center pool) was about 50 feet away...we lucked out after our 1.25 hour check-in...
back to the lobby and then to the exterior...
the lobby as i have said is on the second level...it is very open and in fact is open on two sides...the lounge area is comfortable and there is a bar off to the right...i believe there is a large table and flower display in the lobby areathere are long slopping stone ramps which lead from the entrance down about 1/4 story to the lounge and bar area...after this area is a large open balcony which overlooks the main pool and out to the ocean...across the bay you can see mountains when it is clear...enchanting...
this is a hotel surrounded by pools...basically the hotel is a "W" in shape...most all rooms have an ocean view...the ocean side of the hotel has one large lagoon pool with bridges...in the center is the main pool...there are large vases, columns, bridges, walkways and of course ponds and plantings throughout the area...new trees have been transplanted...in one year this will be a tropical paradise...it is lovely now and does not feel brand new or half done...it is lovely!!!... some rooms (i believe they call them villa rooms) allow you to step off your deck right into the lagoon..at nite there are torches and beautiful lighting throughout the garden/pool area...the pools are open 24 hours per day...
out near the beach there is a free standing restaurant where we ate our first nite...very breezy and romantic...
below the lobby deck there is the main everyday dining room and breakfast room which is open on one side to the small ponds with water lilies and from there a short distance is the main pool...there is a platform next to the lily ponds on which performances can be done (balinese dance, etc)...there is one covered pavillion with 4 tables in it off to one side and raised for a quiet meal or a small group affair...it overlooks the whole garden/pool area...
the planners did a smashing job with this hotel...by the way it belongs to a wealthy indonesian textile family who are building 4 or 5 more conrads in indonesia...
enough description...
we went right out for a swim to explore what all this water was about...it was simply huge...at two ends of the lagoon there were sand beaches...yes sand beaches in a swimming pool...essentially they were the kiddy pool areas...
we knew that our aquaintance Michael (formerly of the bangkok marriott)was the general manager here so i wrote him a note about our check-in experience...
after our swim we decided that we would have dinner out by the beach at the italian restaurant....we had made a reservation as we came out of the pool..the moon shown on the water and was about 95% full...it was lovely...the breeze was soft and cooling...maybe not so soft, but it was refreshing....i ordered a pepperoni pizza and karen had grilled tuna...we were served warm bread with 3 dips and butter..we had beers and water..karen had a trio of creme brulees for desert and i had 1/2 baked chocolate cake with pistaccio ice cream...454,000-- about $46...
the restaurant has an open kitchen and two pavillions overlooking the water and pools with their torches...you could hear the live music from the bar in the lobby...
i cleaned my camera sticks so i was ready to go and take more pictures...
our room came without breakfast...shortly after we had settled in our new room, henry, the front manager had called, to offer us free breakfasts during our stay as consolidation for their service failure..we gladly accepted as there did not seem much to offer in the neighborhood, so we would have had to eat from the bufet and pay...
the end of a long day...i think the flight was about 4 hours from bkk to bali, which i think i failed to mention...we left at 9:30 and got there about 2:30 with a time change...
we watched as we drove south from the airport...we saw signs to nusa dua and so we knew that we did not have far to go to benoa and the conrad...we rounded a corner and there was the lovely sign...the taxi was stopped by a security gate and searched briefly...they lifted the gate and we proceeded up an incline as the entrance/lobby is really on the 2nd floor level...there is a waterfall across from security and lots of lovely plantings...
the entry area is quite small...we were met at the car and escorted to the front desk in this magnificent open air pavillion with very minimilistic features and furnishings...
we were asked for our names and then escorted to a table and chairs in the adajacent open air lounge area...we were joined in a few minutes by a very nice young woman who continue the check in process...first class operation...she left us for a few minutes and we were served a very refreshing bubbly fruit drink and given a very cold welcome towel to refresh ourselves...
we sat there for quite a while...i was getting impatient...then more time passed...it was about 3:30 so we were not early...
finally the girl returned...she apologized...the hotel has only been open one month and i think they just don't have it down pat yet..
anyways everything was all set and we would then be escorted to our room...
the door was opened for us and we stepped into the room...karen looked at me and we both said....sorry but this will not due...the room reeked of smoke...we had clearly reserved and been guaranteed a smoke free room...
so the bellman called on the phone and then left us there...he said he would be right back...after more than 15 minutes he had not returned so i went to the front desk and asked the same woman greeter what was happening...it was getting busy there...she turned me over to another woman..she asked me to take a seat, which i did unhappily...still nothing after a few more minutes, so i asked for a manager ...he came and apologized... i think he was the front office manager not an asst. mgr type...he said that they had found a room for us but that he had to check it out personally...i said can't we just go there and check it together and he said no...please wait..
we were now over an hour in the check-in process...i was mad...
he returned and said the room was ready...he was very apologetic...karen had reappeared from the first room in the meantime and the luggage had been put in the storage room...so we were then escorted to a larger room on the ground floor with direct outside access...the room was clearly an upgrade, so i was very pleased..i never yelled but i could have very easily...i had already seen one very ugly american yell at the desk while i was waiting and use the "F" word quite a few times...i did not want them to know that i too was that kind of a person....ugly american...
anyways we were now in our beautiful room...we were happy...this is a beautiful hotel and anyone would love to stay there...again i feel the check-in problems were the result of break-in- itis and the fact that they are offering fantastic break-in rates ($70)...they only opened about april 1 for paying guests...
the room--the hallways are a bit dark as they are all gray or dark stone...they are essentially all open air...there is again a real minimilistic feel...they are well lit at night...
the room is the opposite...it is nicely furnished and very comfortable...the bed was heavenly..simply the most comfortable bed i have been in in years and maybe ever...added to this they offer you an in room choice of eight different pillow types...
as you enter our room the bath is on the right and there is a wardrobe on the left..plus there is a shelf for suitcases..there was a round area rug under the bed and at the foot of it, which was over a black marble? floor..the rug was a wavy pattern..karen points out that there was a minimilistic feeling in the room as well..the bed was a light wood platform bed..there was a large flatscreen tv with a fridge and drawers under and beside it...there was a safe of course...looking from the bedroom into the bath there was a huge picture window which had a wide dark color wooden venitian blind...we kept it closed..
in the bath there were tons of new soft and thick white towels of various sizes...as you entered the bathroom on the right was a toilet room...next to it was a large shower enclosure with a glass door...at the end of the room was a large counter, mirror and sink... the sink amenities were plentiful and of very good designer quality...
the bathtub which was large took up the whole left wall...very nice indeed...
there was a desk with a chari in the main room and an upholstered chair...one wall was a glass sliding door which opened directly onto a deck with 2 chairs and a table...it was one step down to the grass ... the pool (main center pool) was about 50 feet away...we lucked out after our 1.25 hour check-in...
back to the lobby and then to the exterior...
the lobby as i have said is on the second level...it is very open and in fact is open on two sides...the lounge area is comfortable and there is a bar off to the right...i believe there is a large table and flower display in the lobby areathere are long slopping stone ramps which lead from the entrance down about 1/4 story to the lounge and bar area...after this area is a large open balcony which overlooks the main pool and out to the ocean...across the bay you can see mountains when it is clear...enchanting...
this is a hotel surrounded by pools...basically the hotel is a "W" in shape...most all rooms have an ocean view...the ocean side of the hotel has one large lagoon pool with bridges...in the center is the main pool...there are large vases, columns, bridges, walkways and of course ponds and plantings throughout the area...new trees have been transplanted...in one year this will be a tropical paradise...it is lovely now and does not feel brand new or half done...it is lovely!!!... some rooms (i believe they call them villa rooms) allow you to step off your deck right into the lagoon..at nite there are torches and beautiful lighting throughout the garden/pool area...the pools are open 24 hours per day...
out near the beach there is a free standing restaurant where we ate our first nite...very breezy and romantic...
below the lobby deck there is the main everyday dining room and breakfast room which is open on one side to the small ponds with water lilies and from there a short distance is the main pool...there is a platform next to the lily ponds on which performances can be done (balinese dance, etc)...there is one covered pavillion with 4 tables in it off to one side and raised for a quiet meal or a small group affair...it overlooks the whole garden/pool area...
the planners did a smashing job with this hotel...by the way it belongs to a wealthy indonesian textile family who are building 4 or 5 more conrads in indonesia...
enough description...
we went right out for a swim to explore what all this water was about...it was simply huge...at two ends of the lagoon there were sand beaches...yes sand beaches in a swimming pool...essentially they were the kiddy pool areas...
we knew that our aquaintance Michael (formerly of the bangkok marriott)was the general manager here so i wrote him a note about our check-in experience...
after our swim we decided that we would have dinner out by the beach at the italian restaurant....we had made a reservation as we came out of the pool..the moon shown on the water and was about 95% full...it was lovely...the breeze was soft and cooling...maybe not so soft, but it was refreshing....i ordered a pepperoni pizza and karen had grilled tuna...we were served warm bread with 3 dips and butter..we had beers and water..karen had a trio of creme brulees for desert and i had 1/2 baked chocolate cake with pistaccio ice cream...454,000-- about $46...
the restaurant has an open kitchen and two pavillions overlooking the water and pools with their torches...you could hear the live music from the bar in the lobby...
i cleaned my camera sticks so i was ready to go and take more pictures...
our room came without breakfast...shortly after we had settled in our new room, henry, the front manager had called, to offer us free breakfasts during our stay as consolidation for their service failure..we gladly accepted as there did not seem much to offer in the neighborhood, so we would have had to eat from the bufet and pay...
the end of a long day...i think the flight was about 4 hours from bkk to bali, which i think i failed to mention...we left at 9:30 and got there about 2:30 with a time change...
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:38 PM
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our contract with putu called for us not to see him until about 1PM on sunday when he would move us from the conrad to the hyatt...
Sat 5th..
we were up about 6:45
oh that bed....
we went out to breakfast...it was a very nice buffet as you would expect...all the regular stuff you expect from a hotel of this quality...
the servers were exceptionally nice and talkative...they had been well trained and were eager to please...
by the way the breakfast for two was 360,000 or about $38...so for the 1.25 hours we waited we saved about $76...
out to the pool...we stayed there from about 9:30 until 3PM...we ordered lunch by the pool and it was delivered to our lounges...i had a grilled portabellow mushroom and muzzorella sandwich and karen had a steak and chedder cheese sandwich..plus waters...it was delicious...
by the way the pool boys bring you cool towels during the day and wicker boxes filled with cold bottled water complimentary...
our breakfast waiter told us about "biz-net" the local internet place...so we took a cab there....i got confused with the money and gave him 100,000 instead of 10,000...easy come, easy go...my only money mistake on the trip...spent about 1.5 hours on the computer--it was very slow...15,000 rp..$1.50...
forgot to mention that we met a very nice couple from oz by the pool and talked quite a while with them...
next door to the internet was a "department store" where we poked around and also a grocery store where we bought a few things...
also hit the ATM while there...1,500,000 or about $160. withdrawal...
we took a cab back to the hotel for 10,000...
i walked around and took some pictures at twilight..
we reviewed the pictures on the large screen tv...quite impressive...
the restaurant bumbo bali had been suggested to us by the couple from oz...it was near to the hotel and they would pick us up and return us so we had the hotel make a reservation for us for 8....the restaurant was rustic and quite lovely with an open pit for BBQ as you entered...we had a delicious meal: mixed sate (beef, chicken and seafood): this was served on a personal charcoal cooker on our table...we had a chicken dish, pork sweet and sour (very good indeed), 3 types of rice, mushrooms in panara leaves...2 large Bintang beers (the local)..for desert there was mixed fruit and cakes...the restaurant was on two levels and we were on the upper one overlooking the lower (2 steps up)..we did have a floor show as there was a western cross-dresser at the next table to us and he/she was interesting to watch...voyeurs...
back to the hotel and bed by 10:45
too much sun for me...
that's all for today...
Sat 5th..
we were up about 6:45
oh that bed....
we went out to breakfast...it was a very nice buffet as you would expect...all the regular stuff you expect from a hotel of this quality...
the servers were exceptionally nice and talkative...they had been well trained and were eager to please...
by the way the breakfast for two was 360,000 or about $38...so for the 1.25 hours we waited we saved about $76...
out to the pool...we stayed there from about 9:30 until 3PM...we ordered lunch by the pool and it was delivered to our lounges...i had a grilled portabellow mushroom and muzzorella sandwich and karen had a steak and chedder cheese sandwich..plus waters...it was delicious...
by the way the pool boys bring you cool towels during the day and wicker boxes filled with cold bottled water complimentary...
our breakfast waiter told us about "biz-net" the local internet place...so we took a cab there....i got confused with the money and gave him 100,000 instead of 10,000...easy come, easy go...my only money mistake on the trip...spent about 1.5 hours on the computer--it was very slow...15,000 rp..$1.50...
forgot to mention that we met a very nice couple from oz by the pool and talked quite a while with them...
next door to the internet was a "department store" where we poked around and also a grocery store where we bought a few things...
also hit the ATM while there...1,500,000 or about $160. withdrawal...
we took a cab back to the hotel for 10,000...
i walked around and took some pictures at twilight..
we reviewed the pictures on the large screen tv...quite impressive...
the restaurant bumbo bali had been suggested to us by the couple from oz...it was near to the hotel and they would pick us up and return us so we had the hotel make a reservation for us for 8....the restaurant was rustic and quite lovely with an open pit for BBQ as you entered...we had a delicious meal: mixed sate (beef, chicken and seafood): this was served on a personal charcoal cooker on our table...we had a chicken dish, pork sweet and sour (very good indeed), 3 types of rice, mushrooms in panara leaves...2 large Bintang beers (the local)..for desert there was mixed fruit and cakes...the restaurant was on two levels and we were on the upper one overlooking the lower (2 steps up)..we did have a floor show as there was a western cross-dresser at the next table to us and he/she was interesting to watch...voyeurs...
back to the hotel and bed by 10:45
too much sun for me...
that's all for today...
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:45 PM
#56
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carol---we felt totally safe in bali...never a thought or an issue...
by finished i mean...even a nice house or an office building never quite looks finished or is not kept up after it is finsihed...they never clean the building trash out of the yard...they forget to paint one side...dumb...not following through on the whole project...this is aside from the financially troubled buidling...
did you see that an american group among others have bought the never opened sofitel on the river...right across for the sheraton...the one with the big round jut out on the top (revolving restaurant???)..it is going to be a hilton... i had been told that the building was unsafe and that is why it never opened---no permit was given?????
by finished i mean...even a nice house or an office building never quite looks finished or is not kept up after it is finsihed...they never clean the building trash out of the yard...they forget to paint one side...dumb...not following through on the whole project...this is aside from the financially troubled buidling...
did you see that an american group among others have bought the never opened sofitel on the river...right across for the sheraton...the one with the big round jut out on the top (revolving restaurant???)..it is going to be a hilton... i had been told that the building was unsafe and that is why it never opened---no permit was given?????
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:46 PM
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Great job! This is wonderful. Reading your report has made me decide to go to Bali this weekend. Will be my first time there and not sure where to stay yet. The price for Conrad have gone up to $95/night no breakfast. Is it still worth it? Can't wait to hear more from you!
Jun 28th, 2004, 12:34 AM
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Care to say whether the health issue with buffets is from the guests (fingers or sneezes?), or from the servers (mixing new food onto lukewarm old food in same serving tray?). Trying to understand how breakfast or some buffets may be ok bets in Asia...
Jun 28th, 2004, 05:47 AM
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the conrad in my opinion is worth well over $200 per nite so $95 is still a steal....try bali discovery tours and see what they can do for you..they were offering $84 i think
buffets---the issue for my wife is more with keeping things warm/cool as it relates to breeding grounds for things that will make you ill....
buffets---the issue for my wife is more with keeping things warm/cool as it relates to breeding grounds for things that will make you ill....
Jun 28th, 2004, 10:26 AM
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sunday june 6
i'll type for a few minutes and then i have to go to work...more later tonight...
i think that in the last segment i failed to mention that after our dinner on the first nite at the italian restaurant when we were leaving the restaurant we began to talk to a western man who was standing at the restaurant greeters' desk...i thought it was the chef...i was mistaken, and i discovered it shortly during our conversation....i said to him finally, "are your michael"? and he replied yes....i did not recognize him with his new beard...he is michael burchett, the former GM of the bangkok marriott and now the new GM of the conrad...we renewed our aquaintanceship and talked about our impressions of the new conrad and what was happening there...i told him that i had written him a note that he would get the next morning and then told him directly about our check-in mess...he was apologetic...his main concern was were we now happy and did they make it "RIGHT"... i told him that indeed it was all satisfactory...he went on to tell us about the slow opening, some history of the ownership, etc...it was a very pleasing conversation...the next day i received a lovely personal note from him.... we have since had a couple of e-mail exchanges...i told him that everyone at marriott was hoping that he would come back there...fat chance...
our day:
up at 7:30
breakfast bufet (363,000 rp for 2 or $38.25 with ++) very nice offering but $38???
out to the pool for karen, and i did internet and reviewed my pictures...$2.75 for internet for 15 minutes..then i went to the pool...the people from oz were there and we enjoyed their companionship...
lunch was by the pool...i repeated my mushroom sandwich and karen had some now unknown item plus water...198,000 or about $22...
we packed-up and were all checked-out by 1PM as agreed and putu was there to meet us...he approached karen and asked if we were the kimballs...he had a big smile...he was in western dress that day...we loaded our stuff into his toyota SUV and off we went...a fond farewell to the conrad...
i should interject something about putu...about a year ago craig wrote a nice piece on fodors about their bali trip...i took notes and among other things contacted his driver--PUTU...he is Putu Arnawa...his web-site is: www.balifriend.net and his e-mail is [email protected]....
putu means oldest son...
he had a very nice toyota suv with two rear seats...it can hold 7 i believe...that would be tight...4-5 would be great...
it is not a model we have in the usa, but it is bigger than a pathfinder but smaller than a suburban...about the size of a large jeep...
he drives very slowly and safely...he is a joy to tour with...bali roads are small and narrow and there are lots of motor bikes and people walking...he is totally flexible...your pleasure is his pleasure....
his fees, while higher than some are appropriate and are inclusive--they are based on the hours of touring...the top fee is 400,000 per day for a 10-12 hour day...well worth every cent...he spells out his fee structure in writing ahead of time...
we found that 8 hour days were good and 6+ hour ones appealing...
he is quite busy and reservations are needed...book early...
i think i will stop right there and continue tonight...
i'll type for a few minutes and then i have to go to work...more later tonight...
i think that in the last segment i failed to mention that after our dinner on the first nite at the italian restaurant when we were leaving the restaurant we began to talk to a western man who was standing at the restaurant greeters' desk...i thought it was the chef...i was mistaken, and i discovered it shortly during our conversation....i said to him finally, "are your michael"? and he replied yes....i did not recognize him with his new beard...he is michael burchett, the former GM of the bangkok marriott and now the new GM of the conrad...we renewed our aquaintanceship and talked about our impressions of the new conrad and what was happening there...i told him that i had written him a note that he would get the next morning and then told him directly about our check-in mess...he was apologetic...his main concern was were we now happy and did they make it "RIGHT"... i told him that indeed it was all satisfactory...he went on to tell us about the slow opening, some history of the ownership, etc...it was a very pleasing conversation...the next day i received a lovely personal note from him.... we have since had a couple of e-mail exchanges...i told him that everyone at marriott was hoping that he would come back there...fat chance...
our day:
up at 7:30
breakfast bufet (363,000 rp for 2 or $38.25 with ++) very nice offering but $38???
out to the pool for karen, and i did internet and reviewed my pictures...$2.75 for internet for 15 minutes..then i went to the pool...the people from oz were there and we enjoyed their companionship...
lunch was by the pool...i repeated my mushroom sandwich and karen had some now unknown item plus water...198,000 or about $22...
we packed-up and were all checked-out by 1PM as agreed and putu was there to meet us...he approached karen and asked if we were the kimballs...he had a big smile...he was in western dress that day...we loaded our stuff into his toyota SUV and off we went...a fond farewell to the conrad...
i should interject something about putu...about a year ago craig wrote a nice piece on fodors about their bali trip...i took notes and among other things contacted his driver--PUTU...he is Putu Arnawa...his web-site is: www.balifriend.net and his e-mail is [email protected]....
putu means oldest son...
he had a very nice toyota suv with two rear seats...it can hold 7 i believe...that would be tight...4-5 would be great...
it is not a model we have in the usa, but it is bigger than a pathfinder but smaller than a suburban...about the size of a large jeep...
he drives very slowly and safely...he is a joy to tour with...bali roads are small and narrow and there are lots of motor bikes and people walking...he is totally flexible...your pleasure is his pleasure....
his fees, while higher than some are appropriate and are inclusive--they are based on the hours of touring...the top fee is 400,000 per day for a 10-12 hour day...well worth every cent...he spells out his fee structure in writing ahead of time...
we found that 8 hour days were good and 6+ hour ones appealing...
he is quite busy and reservations are needed...book early...
i think i will stop right there and continue tonight...
